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A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate…, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile–Mara Buxbaum

Mary Tyler Moore’s passing was a huge blow to Hollywood and fans around the world; however, female journalist particularly took her passing extremely hard, but for far different reasons.

The television icon was more than just a ground breaking actress, brilliant business entrepreneur and philanthropist; she was a role model who also influenced a generation of women to become journalist.

Over a long career spanning decades, Mary Tyler Moore’s signature role was Mary Richards from the eponymously titled “Mary TylerMoore” show. The 70s sitcom was based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and centered around a young single career woman working as a news producer.

The series ran from 1970 to 1977; it received numerous awards for the cast, crew, and the star: Mary Tyler Moore (MTM). In fact, during its run the series won a record 29 Emmy Awards. A record that stood for 25 years.

In 2001, MTM was immortalized by TVLAND when a life-sized bronze statue of Mary Richards tossing her tam into the air was unveiled. This iconic image captured the exuberance and excitement of a professional woman who ultimately did “make it on her own” in a new city and career.

When interviewed about being immortalized by a bronze statue, MTM said, “Forget about it, this is a unique situation. I never thought I’d have anything like that.”

The statue is exclusive to minneapolis and quite popular. Fans from around the state and the nation flock to the statue to pose for pictures and mimic the legendary hat toss.

When Minneapolis put the statue in storage due to downtown road construction, public outcry prompted city leaders to place it back on display.

Visitors to Minneapolis who wish to see the statue can find it quite easily at the visitor center. A Crow’s View suggests taking the light rail to the Nicollet Mall stop. This will allow people to avoid parking hassles and place seekers right at the statue’s location. After exiting the train, the statue is only steps away from the train station on the southeast corner of S. 5th St.

The visitor center’s hours are limited, but the statue can easily be seen from the large display windows if travelers show up after hours. Later in 2017, the city plans to return the statue outdoors for 24-hour access.

Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.–Aldous Huxley

The impending bankruptcy of RadioShack is yet another example of “brick and mortar” businesses falling prey to the power of the e-Economy.

For those of us old enough to remember when RadioShack was the only source of quality electronic goods, this bankruptcy and impending closure is a sad moment. Although we may not grieve for the loss of RadioShack that deeply, we do get a sick pang from the titillating nostalgic flashbacks of once racing to RadioShack to buy the latest piece of equipment; knowing that we are seeing our childhood fade into oblivion.

Below is a link from Wired, aptly titled “Dear RadioShack, This Is Why We Adored You.” Overall the piece is well written and speaks poignantly about RadioShack’s presence in people’s lives. A great aspect of this article is its eloquent recitals from people recounting their favorite memory of shopping at the former electronics giant.

Nature captivates us in many forms, from its majestic views to its destructive power; people of all strides appreciate its brilliance and dominance over our everyday lives.

On this first day of winter, Mother Nature’s fury is in full force. Her awesome power is manifest when she unleashes her raw power on one of her most majestic sites: the North Umpqua River.

After only a few days of rain, the pacific northwest river is on the verge of cresting. Logs and other debris are no match as the mighty river sweeps away obstacles in its path on its way towards the ocean.

A treacherous series of undertows and rapids are created from the water’s force as it crashes over a dam. It’s so powerful that logs caught in its turbulence are easily upended and tossed about.

A hilltop that overlooks the Umpqua Dam and Fish Ladder is peppered with spectators taking in nature’s display of savagery. Sounds of cheers and gasps are prevalent as the raging water violently churns in on itself and pounds the bank.

As the sun sets, it obscures much of the water’s destructive force and rising levels, but it’s a sure bet that people will gather tomorrow to witness nature’s rage.

A new day dawned for fans of the Oregon Ducks. A decade and a half of building a winning program culminated in the schools first Heisman trophy winner.

Marcus Mariota’s talent has been no secret at Oregon, and now the world knows just how talented the Hawaiian native is. This year’s Heisman winner received the second highest vote totals (90.9%) in the trophy’s 80-year history.

Another first for Mariota is that he is the first man from Hawaii, and the first Polynesian, to win the Heisman trophy.

The next step in Oregon’s history will be to bring home a national championship, but for now. Duck fans should all be celebrating this historic moment because years of hard work and sacrifice have paid off.

Congratulations to Marcus Mariota and the Oregon Ducks.

More information on the vote and the trophy’s history can be found at the official Heisman website:

There will always be hope for our country as long as more people watch Monday Night Football than…[sitcoms]––Michael Logsdon

Lately the sports media’s attention has been dominated by reports about domestic abuse in the NFL, with the Ray Rice scandal getting a lion’s share of the coverage. The video of Rice knocking out his then fiancé is utterly repulsive. The fact that Rice is a world-class athlete (a strapping alpha male to boot) makes the attack even more reprehensible. However, with all the media attention on this issue, is the NFL missing an opportunity?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s mishandling of the initial response towards this issue was a huge blunder, then when a video emerged showing the attack, Goodell and the NFL took a knee-jerk reaction of throwing Rice out of the NFL. This reactionary response is evidence of a lack of direction and a clear strategy on how to best address this issue.

It is the opinion of A Crow’s View that the steps the NFL took do not help Rice’s wife or others. In fact, absolutely nothing the NFL did to address this situation is going to stop this type of event from happening again. Even worse, the steps taken by the NFL place a hardship on Rice and his wife, while putting pressure on other players’ and their spouses to keep silent, so they don’t face a similar situation.

It is clear the suspension is a move designed to placate the NFL’s critics and to bolster its weak stance on domestic abuse. Based on the continued media coverage and calls for impeachment of Goodell, this approach isn’t working because society sees this tactic for what it is: nothing more than a quick-fix PR attempt.

Appeasing critics or having a zero tolerance policy will not solve this problem. This issue requires the NFL to take a different approach. One that will prevent future occurrences from happening and ensures the safety of players’ spouses and others.

First, the league needs to be upfront about what it knew and when, regarding the Rice video.

Second, bring Rice and his wife into NFL headquarters and address the discipline issues with them.

Third, all fines leveled against Rice by the NFL should be waived, if donations of equal value are made to domestic violence organizations.

Fourth, put in place an option that will allow Rice to salvage his career if he meets strict requirements set by the NFL. This option must be stressed that it is available only if he meets all requirements; however, the team owners will have the option of keeping Rice on their roster.

Fifth, be open about the disciplinary steps and effectively explain how these steps will help victims and the abuser from repeat behavior.

With all the resources at the NFL’s disposal, it should not be taking a reactionary response to domestic violence. It should be dealt with in a manner that will not force those who are trapped in this toxic environment into silence, or force abusers to use their resources to prevent such incidences from becoming public simple to keep their jobs. Helping people should be the goal, not just cleaning up the NFL’s image.

The reasons the NFL should follow these five steps are clear. They immediately help to improve the situation of all women associated with the NFL. First, they remove the fear of losing their financial situation if they are in an abusive relationship, by taking away the need to keep silent or further hide the abuse. Second, these steps will show that the NFL is engaged on the issue of domestic abuse and actively seeking to protect the victims of violence. Moreover, following these steps will demonstrate that the NFL is working with Ray and Janay Rice to safeguard her safety and actively trying to ensure that no future incidences of abuse occurs.

The NFL is missing a golden opportunity. If they use these steps, a situation is created which will prompt a great storyline of redemption and second chance that society eats up. More importantly, they don’t cast a veil of silence over the abused or abuser to hide their faults; in stead, they will create an environment that seeks to improve lives. This is the best way to ensure the safety of Janay and other women of the NFL.

“Titanic started a voyage through history when it sailed away. One century later, there is still no port at sight.”― Marina Tavares Dias

The sinking of the Titanic has captivated people since 1912. The tragedy launched considerable inquires into its cause and triggered massive maritime changes, from increased lifeboats on ships to the creation of the International Ice Patrol.

Titanic’s demise is simple, but a debate has persisted as to who or what is to blame for the “unsinkable ship’s” disastrous voyage. Attempts to find answers have spawned hundreds of theories and launched a myriad of books and documentaries.

Speculation about the root-cause of the disaster range from poor construction to excessive speed, or from dereliction of duty to the lack of proper equipment for Titanic’s lookout personnel.

Although most of the theories seem viable, many of them don’t adequately explain all the events that occurred that night; furthermore, upon examination several theories collapse altogether.

Until now. Investigative Author Tim Maltin believes that atmospheric conditions created the perfect circumstances for a “killing zone,” which led to massive failures that reduced the chances for rescue and ultimately sank Titanic.

Maltin blames the collision on a rare phenomenon known as an ice water mirage. This singularity caused the lookout crew to overlook the iceberg until it was too late, and it contributed to the California’s captain failing to mount a rescue. Maltin’s theory also accounts for why Morse lamp signals were ignored or unseen.

The Smithsonian Channel aired Maltin’s findings in a 90-minute documentary titled “Titanic: Case Closed” (alternate title: “Titanic’s Final Mystery”). The episode employs powerful filming techniques to bring the event to life. It blends a potent soundtrack and dramatic computer-generated graphics (CGI), depicting the ship’s sinking, with present day scenes of Maltin conducting research and interviewing experts.

Professional actors provide dramatic portrayals of Titanic survivors through voiceovers, re-creations, and mock interviews based on historical statements and testimony. A particularly gripping performance was by John Guerrasio who portrays Colonel Archibald Gracie.

A Crow’s View believes that “Titanic’s Final Mystery” is a well-produced made-for-TV documentary worth watching. The film’s use of CGI, storytelling, and acting culminates in a compelling narrative, which does an outstanding job of presenting Maltin’s theory. Watching this program will either alter your view of why the Titanic sank, or it will provide additional details to what happened that cold night on April 14, 1912.

The documentary can be watched on the Smithsonian Channel’s website and through its app. It is also readily available on Netflix, iTunes, and Google Play.